Apparatus for uniting leads to lamp contacts



et. 2, l 947.

APPARATUS M. E. MCGOWAN El' AL FOR UNITING LEADS TO LAMP CONTACTS Filed July 18, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATroRNEv 0d 21, 1947- M. E. McGowAN Erm.

APPARATUS FOR UNITING LEADS TO LAMP CONTACTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 1942 34 INVENTORS MEn-oW/W W. A? 0MB/vnf BY W vm'romuif Patented Oct. 2l, 1947 APPARATUS FOR UNITING LEADS TO LAMP CONTACTS Bloomfield, and Walter Michael E. McGowan,

Russell Umbach, Glen Westinghouse Electric Ridge, N. J., assignors to Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of lPennsylvania Application July 18, 1942, Serial No. 451,434 6 Claims. (Cl. 78-49) economically uniting leadsI to contacts without the use of soldering material.

Other objects and advantages of relating to the particular arrangement and conparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine for unitingl lead-in conductors to lamp contacts while holding the lamp in place.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational View of a lamp finished on the machine of Fig. 1, and shown partly in axial section.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line l'V-IV of Fig. 3, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line V-V of Fig. 4, in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5, but showing the position of the parts subsequent to that of said figure.

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 6 but showing the nal position of the lead-connecting parts, where a molten bead of metal on a lead is being united with a lamp contact.

name welding without the Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional View of a lead wire showing the coating of borax thereon.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 5, butshowing the application of the invention to another type of lamp.

Fig. 10 is a view corresponding -to Fig. 9, but showing the lamp in axial section and the formation of the molten bead of metal adjacent the contact to which the lead is to be connected.

Fig. 11 is a View corresponding to Fig. 9, but showing the action of the press in causing the molten bead to unite with the contact and secure the lead thereto.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and rst considering the embodiment of our invention shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, the numeral 2l represents a lamp of the fluorescent type comprising a bulb or tube 22 to which is united a mount 23 at each end. Each mount comprises a. flare 24, the peripheral portion of which is united to the envelope 22, and a press 25 through which leads 26 and 2l pass for the support of an incandescible filament 28. The lamp has a base 29 at each end provided with hollow prongs 3| and 32 functioning as contact members, and through which the leads 26 and 21 pass.

It has been customary to unite such leads to the ends of the contact members by solder. However, in View of the scarcity of the material from which solder is produced and the desire to economize, we propose that said lead-in conductors be connected to the contacts by welding without the use of any additional material.' With this in view we have provided a machine 33 comprising a base 34 from which extends a bracket or standard 35 to which is pivotally connected a gear wheel 36, as by means of a shaft 37. An operating lever 38, controlled by a return spring 39, is connected to one end of said shaft, as by passing through an aperture 4I and held in place by a set sc rew 42.

Slidably supported for vertical reciprocatory movement, is a rack member 43, the teeth of which are operatively engaged by the teeth of the gear 36, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1,

whereby turning the shaft 31 causes the rack member to either ascend or descend, in accordance with the direction of rotation. Supported fromthe lower end of the rack member is a an upstanding lug 11 plunger or press member 44 having a cavity or pocket 45 in its lower face to receive and shape a molten or plastic mass of metal to be provided on the ends of lead-in conductors. The rack member also carries hook or angular devices 46 and 41, portions of which normally underlie and support gas pipes 48 and 49 positioned to direct res 6| and 52 on a lead Wire 26 or 21, `which initially projects beyond the contact 3| or 32 of the lamp 2|.

The lamp 2|, in the present embodiment, is shown supported by lower cup device 53 controlled by handle 29 fixed on the stern of said device, which is reciprocable in the supporting bracket 64, in turn depending from the lower side of the base 34. A spring 30 acts between the lower arm of the bracket 54 and the handle 29, whereby the upper end of a supported lamp is urged into engagement with separable plates 55 and 56 provided with cooperating notches 51 and 5B through which the contact members 3| and 32 project. These locating plates are adapted to slide in or out between guiding members 59 and 6| on the base plate 34 to position one contact member and then the other for melting down and securing the associated lead thereto.

In order to prevent undesired motion of the positioning plates 55 and 56, one of which is desirably pivoted at 62 to the other, as well as hold said plates resiliently in engagement with one another, a spring 64 is provided to press against said pivoted plate 56,` as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. Undesired complete withdrawal of the plate 55 is prevented by engagement of against a stop member 18 fixed to the base 34 by screws 19, and inward movement is limited by stop 63.

The gas pipes 4B and 49 are desirably pi'votally mounted in an upstanding bracket 65 on the base plate 34 and resiliently urged downward by means of associated springs 66 and 61 so that they tend to follow the hook devices 46 and 41 until they engage the stop element 68 which arrests further movement thereof, while not interfering with a follow-up of the pressing member 44 which completes the welding operation.

The operation of the apparatus thus described is desirably as follows: A lamp 22 has its lower end inserted in the cup 54 and its upper end rotated from the outer dotted position to the full line position, as represented by the arrows 69 and 1| in Fig. 1, where the outermost contact 32 is aligned with the press device 4,4. The lever 38 isthen rotated clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, to cause the fires 5| and 52 to follow the up standing lead 21 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 6, so that a ball 12 of molten or plastic metal, large enough to cover the lead hole, forms on top of the Contact 32. At this point the downward movement of the lires is arrested, and the pressing device 44 follows through to consolidate the ball 12 of metal with the upper end of the lead 32, as shown most clearly in Fig. 7.

The upper end of the lamp is then pulled out along with the plates 55 and 56, reversed in position, and pushed back to treat the lead 26 in a similar manner and to consolidate it with the contact 3|. As a preferred alternative, the lamp may be pulled out only part way, or until the contact 3| is aligned with the press member 44, as represented by arrow 13 in Fig. l, and controlled by movement from the all-in position of the follower 63 to where the shoulder 56 engages the latch 60 held in locking position by spring 16, whereupon a similar operation is applied to the lead 26 which initially projects beyond its contact member 3|, like the lead 21 beyond its contact member 32.

It has been found desirable to initially coat the leads with borax, especially if they are ferruginous, that is made of iron. steel, copper-clad iron or steel, or nickel plated iron or steel, thereby preventing oxidation or burning of the wire, using the same method ordinarily employed for borating Dumet wire, or as described and claimed in the Brockel application, Serial No. 278,409, led June 10, 1939, now Patent No. 2,316,984, dated April 20, 1943, and owned by the assignee of the present application. This idea, is illustrated in Fig. 8 where a lead wire 26 is shown having a coating 14 of borax on the outside thereof.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are views corresponding to Figs. 5, 6, and '1 but showing fires 5|SL and 52 for melting down a lead 26, which may be ferruginous as in the preceding embodiment, for consolidating it with a conventional metal or brass contact 3 |2l of the base 15 of an incandescent electric lamp 16. The plunger member 44", which follows through after the formation of the ball 12 of moltenmetal, may correspond with the member 44 in the preceding embodiment. However, inasmuch as the length of an incandescent lament lamp 16 is generally less than that of a fluorescent lamp 2|, the lower support (not shownl for the incandescent lamp 16 would have to be disposed closer to the base plate, corresponding with that designated 34 in the preceding embodiment, but otherwise the mechanism may correspond with that of the preceding embodiment.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that we have described a machine for eliminating the use of solder or other auxiliary material for connecting the leads of electrical devices to corresponding contacts through which they pass.

Although preferred embodiments of our invention have been disclosed, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. Apparatus for uniting leads to lamp contacts comprising means for holding a lamp with a contact projecting upwardly and a lead projecting through and beyond the upper end of said contact, fuel pipes terminating in burners swingable to and from said contact, a vertically movable rack supporting said burners, means for moving said rack to bring the burners from the upper ends of said projecting lead to adjacent the upper end of said contact to thereby form a ball of metal from said lead and deposit it on the upper end of said contact, and means also carried by said rack for following through after said ball of metal has been formed to engage and consolidate the same with said contact.

2. Apparatus for uniting leads to lamp contacts, comprising horizontally slidable means for holding a lamp with a plurality of contacts thereof projecting upwardly and a lead projecting through and beyond the upper'end of each contact, fuel pipes terminating in burners swingable to and from one contact of a lamp so held, a vertically movable member with portions underlying said pipes for supportingly controlling movement of said burners, means for moving said member to bring said burners from a position where they direct fires from opposite sides onto the upper end of a projecting lead, to adjacent the upper end of its contact, to thereby form a ball of metal from said lead and deposit it on the ing for moving said lamp to bring another contact thereof and its lead projecting therethrough into position for performing another consolidating Operation.

3. Apparatus for uniting leads to lamp contacts, comprising means for holding a lamp with a contact thereof projecting upwardly and a lead projecting through and beyond the upper end of said Contact, a burner swingable to and from said contact, a vertically movable member with portions underlying said burner for supportingly controlling movement thereof, means for moving said member to bring said burner from a position where it directs a fire on the upper end of said projecting lead to adjacent the upper end of said contact to thereby form a ball of metal from said lead and deposit it on the upper end of said Contact, and means also carried by said verticallymovable member for following through to engage and consolidate the ball of metal with said contact.

4. Apparatus for uniting leads to lamp contacts, comprising means for holding a lamp with a contact thereof projecting upwardly and a lead projecting through and beyond the upper end of said contact, gas burners swingable to and from a position where they direct res on the upper end of said projecting lead to a position adjacent the upper end of said contact to thereby form a ball of metal from said lead and deposit a contact thereof projecting upwardly and a lead f projecting through and beyond the upper end of said contact, a burner swingable to and from ball of metal from said lead and deposit it on the upper end of said contact, stop means for limiting downward swinging movement of said burner to a position where a re is directed on the upper end of said contact, and means also carried by said vertically slidable means to folior and intercept the re from said burner, after the latter engages said stop means, and consolidate the ball of metal with said contact.

6. Apparatus foruniting leads to lamp contacts, comprising horizontally slidable means for holding a lamp with a plurality of contacts thereof projecting upwardly and a lead projecting through and beyond the upper end of each contact, a burner swingable to and from one contact of a lamp so held,

vertically slidable means with a device underlying said burner for supportingly controlling movement, thereof, means for moving said member to bring said burner from a position where it directs a fire on the upper end of a projecting lead to a position adjacent the upper end of its contact to thereby form a ball of metal from said lead and deposit it on the upper end also carried by said follow and intercept of said contact, and means vertically slidable means to the re from said burner,

and consolidate the ball of metal with said contact, said slidable means allowing for moving said lamp to bring another contact thereof and its projecting lead into other consolidating position for performing anoperation.

MICHAEL E. MCGOWAN. WALTER RUSSELL UMBAGH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of` this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Great Britain Apr. 25, 1891 

